


Three Things To Fight For

by thatapostateboy



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-04
Updated: 2014-05-04
Packaged: 2018-01-21 21:21:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1564511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatapostateboy/pseuds/thatapostateboy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hawke and Anders are living their new life in Amaranthine, far from the front lines of the war that they helped to start. Anders is finding it hard to let the mages fight this battle without him, but Hawke has some news that might change his mind.</p><p>Set Post Game</p>
            </blockquote>





	Three Things To Fight For

**Author's Note:**

> It's my headcanon that after Hawke and Anders escape Kirkwall together, they make their way to Ferelden. They seek the aid of the Warden Commander, and eventually end up staying in Amaranthine and try to live a normal life together

“Love,” Anders called into the house as he came in through the door, pulling his coat off and hanging it on the peg, “It’s me.” He knelt down and smoothed the top of Ser Pounce A Lot’s head as the ginger cat rubbed himself affectionately against Anders’ legs. The cat purred, earning a smile from the mage.

Hawke poked her head out of the kitchen, “Excellent. I just finished the last batch of healing potions the Commander asked for so don’t get too comfortable.” Anders stood up fully and walked towards her, giving her a brief kiss.

“That’ll have to wait,” he pulled a piece of paper hastily out of his pocket and held it out to her, “Look at this.”

 

She took it, glancing over the page. It was obviously an advertisement of some kind, perhaps leaning more towards propaganda. She raised an eyebrow, realising that it was a poster for a rally of some kind, and the more she read, it became clear it was for mage’s rights. They hadn’t seen much of the war in Amaranthine, only hearing scraps of news whenever they went into the city. Now it seemed that there were mages in Amaranthine that were looking for more support.

She looked back up at Anders, feeling her heart sinking, “You want to go, don’t you? To the rally, I mean.”

He nodded, “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

She threw it down on the table, not taking her eyes off of him, “Because it’s a trap. Do you really think the mages would be foolish enough to have a rally in the city of Amaranthine? There are two ways in and out of that city, it’s perfect for the Templars to lay a trap. Either the mages are about to walk straight into a trap, or there aren’t going to be any mages anyway and it’s just a way to find sympathisers.”

He started to frown, “Do you realise just how paranoid that sounds? How could you possibly be so sure that it’s a trap?”

“I’m not,” she admitted, “But it looks suspicious and I don’t want you going.”

“This could be my chance to help,” he told her, “I don’t want to sit by whilst my fellow mages fight this war alone.”

“So you’re willing to risk your life? Just to help a cause that you have given far more than enough to.” Anders saw that the familiar protective fire was starting to burn in her eyes again. He hadn’t seen it in a long time, but it had been a long time since she had questioned their safety.

“What do you want me to do?” he asked, folding his arms across his chest, “Stay here? Live a normal life? Forget the war is going on?”

“I don’t want you to forget, I want you to move on,” she sighed, “I moved on from my old life for you. Can you not at least do this for me?”

He was taken aback by the comment and he felt anger bubbling up inside him, “Killing Meredith or not, you could have stayed in Kirkwall. You chose to come with me. That was your choice, Hawke.”

“Choice?! I  _never_  had a choice. With you, there is never a choice. Stay in Kirkwall alone, or leave with you? There was never any doubt that I would stay with you, no matter what. I gave up _everything_  for you. Our house, our friends, our life… Do you know how long it’s been since I last spoke to my sister? Six months. I saw her more than that when she was in the bloody Circle. I did all of that to be with you, to keep you safe, and you still want to do something that could put you in danger.”

He rubbed his face with his hand, wanting to calm down, but he was just getting angrier, “I am part of this war as much as any other mage. They are giving their lives to fight for our freedom, and you expect me to just stay on the sidelines and let someone else fight this war.”

“Yes!” she threw her hands up in the air, “You have fought more than enough. You have earned your freedom. Living here, this life we have, this is as good as it’s going to get. We’re safe here. We can live our life together and not worry about the Templars or anyone else. So I am begging you, give up this fight. Stop whilst you’re still ahead. We nearly lost everything in Kirkwall, but we’ve rebuilt. You told me once that you couldn’t give me a normal life, now you can. Me and you, we can do this.”

He let out a heavy sigh, looking at her, “Do you know how hard this is for me? I’ve spent the last decade fighting for mages’ rights, and I always planned that I would fight until it took my life… But I don’t want to lose you.” He turned around and grabbed his coat, heading for the door. He glanced over his shoulder at her, “I only have two things left, Hawke. My freedom and you. The two things I have left to lose are the two things that I fight for.”

Hawke felt tears well up in her eyes and she whispered, “Three things.”

He stopped and looked around at her properly, “What?”

“You have three things left to lose,” she told him.

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m pregnant.”

His tense stance softened and he completely let go of the door, letting it swing shut. He felt like all of the air had been sucked out of his body. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her, more specifically her stomach. He swallowed heavily, but his voice still came out dry, “How…?”

She wiped her wet cheeks with the back of her hand, “I think it’s pretty obvious how I fell pregnant.”

He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a shaky breath, “I know how it… h-happened…  But… How long have you known?”

“A few days,” she told him, “I was going to tell you tonight when you got back from delivering the potions to the Keep… I had my suspicions, so I went and saw the healer at the Vigil… I wanted it to be a surprise for you.”

“It’s a surprise alright,” he said, “I can’t believe it…”

“I know,” she murmured, “I can’t believe it either.” Her face was flushed from her crying and she was rubbing her stomach gently, her fingers trailing over the bump there.

The realisation of it all hit him. Hawke was pregnant. She was going to grow a bump and in a matter of months, they would have a baby. A real, living, baby that would rely completely on them, that they would have to raise and teach and love. A baby that could be born a mage like him.

“I can’t,” he said, turning away and pulling the door open again, “I need some air.”

He started walking, and he didn’t look back.

***

Dusk was just setting in when he found himself at Vigil’s Keep. He walked through the familiar gates and paused for a moment in the courtyard, not sure where to go now.

“Anders?” he heard a familiar voice from over by the smithy. He looked up and saw the Commander walking towards him. She offered him a smile, but saw the look on his face and frowned in concern, “What is it? What’s happened?”

“Hawke’s pregnant,” he told her, his voice catching as though he was about to cry.

“C’mon,” she said, nodding towards the Keep, “Let’s get inside and have a talk.”

He followed her into the Keep, up to her personal quarters that had gone from one master bedroom for her to a bedroom for her and Alistair, a bedroom for their son Duncan, a guest room for family and another room that was a family room for them all with a dining table, a roaring fire and comfortable chairs to go around it. She told him to sit down in front of the fire whilst she got them drinks. She returned with two cups of tea, but when he took a sip of it, he realising that she’d put some alcohol in it.

“You look like you needed it,” she said, taking a mouthful of her own, “Oghren won’t notice that I took one of his bottles…. So, come on. Talk to me.”

“What about?”

“The love of your life is pregnant, and yet you’re drinking tea with an elf. What’s going on?” she asked, sitting back in her chair and crossing her legs.

“I feel like I should be happy,” he admitted, “I want to be. I mean, I’m going to be a father. I should want this. But all I can think about is the fact that with me being a mage and Hawke having mages in her family, our child is likely going to be born one as well… And with the war going on, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, especially not my own child.”

She nodded, listening to him, “Strangely enough, I know what you mean. When I first found out that I was carrying Duncan, I felt the same. I know how elves are treated, I spent most of my life knowing how some humans treat my kind. I didn’t want any child of mine to be exposed to the same sort of treatment. And I’m a Grey Warden, and so is Alistair. I never believed that we would be able to have children. I didn’t know how the Taint would affect our baby, or what sort of life we could provide for them; living amongst Wardens, growing up in the Keep.”

“What changed?” he asked her.

“Alistair,” she said, “When I told him that I was carrying, the smile on his face, that look of pure happiness over the fact that we were going to have a baby… It gave me hope. It made me believe that everything was going to be okay, that we could do this…. And he was right. Duncan is the best thing that’s happened to me. He’s my little ray of hope in this world. He’s what keeps me fighting. I want to make this world a better place for him to grow up in, safe and free to be who he wants… Tell me, Anders, which part of it is it that scares you the most? The fact that you’re having a child, or that your child might be born a mage?”

He sighed, sitting forward, resting his elbows on his knees, “The thought of being a father… it doesn’t scare me. I always dreamed that one day Hawke and I would have kids. I know it wasn’t a practical dream, and I knew that it was unlikely to ever happen, but the thought was nice. When I imagined it though, we were in Kirkwall, behind the safety of her title, and no one could touch us. But now…”

“Anders, I can promise you, if there is anywhere in Thedas that you and Hawke can safely raise a child, it is here in Amaranthine. I know everything that happens in this arling. You  _are_  safe here,” she assured him, “I don’t mean to brag, but I’d wager that you’re safer here than you were in Kirkwall where everyone knew who you and Hawke were and were constantly watching you both.”

He nodded, “I know. But no matter how safe Amaranthine is, nothing will change the fact that our child could be born a mage.”

“If they are, then they will have the freedom that most mages spend most of their lives hoping for,” she said, “You know that better than anyone.” She leaned forward, offering him a smile, “And if anyone can teach them how to use their magic, it’s you, Anders.”

He looked at her, “You think so?”

“I know so,” she smiled.

He glanced away, looking into the fire for a moment before getting onto his feet. “Thank you,” he said quietly to her, “You… You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

He headed for the door, but she called to him, “Anders,” he stopped, looking at her, “However scary you think this whole thing is, Hawke’s going to be even more scared. She’s going to need you.”

He just nodded and left.

***

It was dark by the time he found himself back on the road, headed for home. The nights were getting colder, and whilst he was alone, he coated his hands with a small amount of fire, hoping to warm them up; a trick he learned from Jowan in the Tower.

He felt his stomach flutter with nerves when he saw his and Hawke’s cottage in the distance. What the Commander had said rested heavily on his mind, and he suddenly wished that he hadn’t left Hawke alone.

Suddenly, he heard horse’s hooves towards him. He shook his hands off, ridding them of the fire, but stood strong, not knowing who it was because of the darkness of the night.

“Anders!”

He started to make out the figure on horseback in the dark, and realised that it was Nathaniel.

“Nate? What are you doing here?” the mage frowned as his friend stopped his horse beside him.

“You need to come with me to the Vigil,” he told him.

“I just come from there. What’s going on?” he was starting to worry, and become very aware of the fact that there were no candles burning in his house.

“It’s Hawke,” Nathaniel said, “She was in the city and-”

“The city? Why was she…” he trailed off, realisation hitting him like a slap in the face, “She went to the rally? She… Oh Maker, she was looking for me.”

Nathaniel held out his hand, which Anders quickly took, and he pulled him up onto the horse. The ride back to the Keep had never felt so long. Once they reached the yard, Anders leapt down from the horse’s back, sprinting inside. He burst into the infirmary, finding several people all gathered around one bed. He pushed through them all and felt his heart sink when he saw Hawke led there, asleep or unconscious; he wasn’t sure. There was a large cut on the side of her head and her clothing looked singed in places

He grabbed a rag from the bowl of water on the table, and sat on the edge of the bed, cleaning her face gently, tears forming in his eyes, not caring that there half a dozen people at least watching them.

“Give them some space,” said the Commander’s voice quietly.

The chief healer looked at her, “But, Commander-”

“The boss said give ‘em some space, so give ‘em some soddin’ space,” came familiar growl of Oghren. The Wardens and the healers backed away, and Anders placed his hand on Hawke’s forehead, letting healing magic flow through his palm. The wound sealed up, and a little bit of colour returned to her cheeks. She let out a faint groan and opened her eyes.

She smiled weakly at him, “There you are.”

He let out a sigh of relief, resting his forehead against hers, “I’m so sorry, Hawke. This is all my fault. I never should have left.”

“It’s okay,” she told him, her voice quiet and a little hoarse, “You needed time… I just… I thought you’d gone to the rally…”

“So you went to find me?”

She nodded, “Of course… I looked everywhere for you, but by the time I saw you weren’t there, it was too late…” she coughed, “The Templars came out of nowhere. They killed the mage that was making the speech, and started arresting others. The mages resisted, and a fight broke out… I just… I got caught in the middle of it…. The last thing I remember… My shirt was on fire and then… I hit my head… How did I get here?”

“Luckily your favourite Dwarven Warden was stumbling out of the tavern and saw the whole thing,” the Commander said, nodding to Oghren.

“That’s right,” the dwarf nodded, “I got rid of the flames on your clothes and carried you back here.”

“You carried her?” Anders eyebrows raised.

“Slung over my shoulder like a barbarian,” he chuckled, “I ain’t that small, and she ain’t that big.”

Hawke sat up a little and beckoned him over. He came closer and she leaned down, pressing a kiss to his cheek, getting tickled by his beard, “Thank you, Oghren. I owe you my life.”

“Think nothin’ of it,” he smiled.

Anders looked down at the dwarf and offered him his hand to shake, “No really, Oghren, really, thank you.”

He nodded, shaking Anders’ hand. “C’mon,” the Commander said, nodding towards the door, “Let’s leave these two in peace.”

Hawke and Anders were soon left alone, and Anders clambered up onto the bed, cradling Hawke in his arms. One of his hands slid down to her stomach and he felt a rush of relief when he felt that the bump was still there.

“The baby’s safe,” Hawke said.

“Thank the Maker,” he murmured, nuzzling his nose into her hair, holding her even closer, “I’m so sorry for leaving, Hawke.”

“It must have been a shock… I should have known you wouldn’t go to the rally,” she said, “But…  the baby… are you…?”

He smiled, leaning down and kissing her, “I know that it won’t be easy. Nothing ever is. But I want this. You and me… We can do this.”

“I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”


End file.
